Fake News
Fake news is a something we see or hear about that pretends to be true but isn’t.
Sometimes people make up news stories that are not true. Sometimes they believe it is true and sometimes they know it isn’t.
Fake news can be dangerous. It may:
make people make bad choices
confuse, upset or anger people
stop people knowing the real truth
stop people getting the help they need
Fake news can seem believable and it can be hard to know if it is true or not. If we are unsure we can:
check with other news sources
talk to a trusted adult or friend
avoid websites and social media accounts that share news that might be fake
Fake news is news that is untrue. We can try to check things we see or hear about. We can also not spread news unless we are sure it is true.
Fact Checkers
Fact checkers are independent organisations who check whether things people say are true.
There are lots of different people saying, writing and posting statements, giving statistics and making claims in the media. These statements are not always true. Sometimes people make mistakes. Sometimes people deliberately tell lies or give fake news. Fact checkers try to uncover what the real facts are and publicise the correct information so we know the truth.
Fact checkers need to be reliable. They should:
be independent
show how they checked the facts
explain why the original claim is wrong
provide a more accurate statement and cite their sources
Fake news and false facts are damaging. Fact checkers can sometimes help work out whether facts and statistics are true.
Spotting Fake News
Fake news is all the stuff that you hear about and see that is ill-informed, not what it seems or just not true.
How to spot fake news:
Check Where It Comes From: Is it a reliable source? How do you know?
Double-Check: Check other news websites to see if they're reporting the same thing.
Read More Than the Headline: Headlines often make a story seem more exciting than it really is. Read the whole story to get the full picture.
Look at the Date: Make sure it is not old news.
Think About Who Wrote It: Are they an expert or someone who might just make it up?
Use Fact-Checking Websites: These can help you find out if something is true or not.
Check for Proof: Good news stories have evidence and quotes.
Watch Out for Biases: Look for news that gives different viewpoints, not just one.
Think About It: Is it too amazing or perfect? Question things before believing them.
Be Careful on Social Media: News can spread fast, but it might not be accurate. Double-check before sharing.
Ask Someone: If you're not sure ask someone who can help you check it out.
To spot fake news you need to look for clues and think about what makes sense.
Spreading Fake News
Spreading fake news is when we pass on news that is untrue to other people.
Sometimes people make up news stories that are not true. This fake news can seem believable and it can be hard to know if it is true or not. If we pass on news, without checking that it is real and true, we might spread fake news.
Fake news can be dangerous. It may:
confuse, upset or anger people
make people make bad choices
stop people knowing the real truth
Spreading fake news is not ok. We can help by:
checking with other news sources
talking with a trusted adult or friend
not sharing if we are unsure
Fake news is news that is untrue. We can try to check things we see or hear about. We can also not spread news unless we are sure it is true.
Notes on creating your own personalised social story:
Use the above examples to create your own personalised social story for the child. If you need to modify the language to support younger children ensure that the exact meaning intended remains clear and unambiguous. You may want to add photographs or pictures to illustrate the meaning or provide motivation to use. Alternatively, print out versions of the social stories are available below.
